Find the values of m such that the line does not touch the parabola

In summary, for the line with equation y=mx-12 to not intersect or touch the parabola with equation y=2x^2-x-10, the value of m must be such that the quadratic equation 2x^2-(1-m)x+2=0 has no real roots. This can be determined by using the quadratic formula to solve for m.
  • #1
brinethery
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Homework Statement



for what values of m does the line with equation y = mx - 12 not intersect or touch the parabola with equation y = 2x^2-x-10. Please show working out & explain.

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



This question was asked on openstudy and there hasn't been an answer to it yet. It's been 5 years since I've taking algebra and pre-calc, so there's certain things I don't remember how to do such as this question.

Would anyone know how to approach this? I'm just extremely curious :-)
 
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  • #2
At a point, (x,y), where the two graphs intersect, the x and y values must be the same- that is, there exist a value of x such that [itex]y= 2x^2- x- 10= mx- 12[/itex]. That's a quadratic equation, it reduces to [itex]2x^2- (1-m)x+ 2= 0[/itex], and so has either 2 real roots (the line crosses the parabola), 1 double root (the line is tangent to the parabola), of no real roots (the line does not touch the parabola). Use the quadratic formula to determine what m must be so that equation has no real roots.
 

1. What is the difference between a line and a parabola?

A line is a straight path that extends infinitely in both directions, while a parabola is a curved shape that can be described by a quadratic equation. A line can intersect a parabola at one or two points, or it can be tangent to the parabola at one point.

2. How do you determine if a line touches a parabola?

If a line is tangent to a parabola, it will intersect the parabola at exactly one point. This means that the x and y coordinates of the point of intersection will satisfy both the equation of the line and the equation of the parabola. If the line does not intersect the parabola at any point, it does not touch the parabola.

3. Can a line touch a parabola at more than one point?

Yes, a line can intersect a parabola at two points, which means it is not tangent to the parabola. In this case, the line will also satisfy the equation of the parabola at both points of intersection.

4. How can you find the values of m such that the line does not touch the parabola?

To find the values of m that will result in the line not touching the parabola, you can set the equations of the line and the parabola equal to each other and solve for m. If there are no solutions, then there are no values of m that will result in the line touching the parabola. If there is one solution, the line will be tangent to the parabola at one point. If there are two solutions, the line will intersect the parabola at two points, and thus will not be tangent to the parabola.

5. What does it mean if the line does not touch the parabola?

If the line does not touch the parabola, it means that the line and the parabola do not intersect. This could be because the line is parallel to the parabola, or because the line is positioned in a way that it does not intersect the parabola at any point.

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